subcortical

adjective sub·cor·ti·cal \ ˌsəb-ˈkȯr-ti-kəl \

|Updated on: 27 Jun 2018

Definition of subcortical

: of, relating to, involving, or being a part of the brain below the cerebral cortex

subcortical lesions

Recent Examples of subcortical from the Web

The amygdala, a subcortical brain structure that responds to threat, can become hijacked: Children who experienced parental deprivation show amygdala hyperactivity, meaning the brain is more likely to signal danger even when there is none.

— dylan gee, Vox, "I study kids who were separated from their parents. The trauma could change their brains forever.," 20 June 2018
Or different mechanisms might generate an attack in subcortical brain structures that help to process light, sound and other sensory stimuli and influence pain-sensing neurons in the brain.

— r. allan purdy, Scientific American, "Can Anything Stop My Migraine?," 1 May 2017
Connections between higher-order systems and subcortical regions were also altered.

— diana gitig, Ars Technica, "Inflammation is bad, including for those in the womb," 12 Apr. 2018
In people with autism, the imbalance may favor the excitatory subcortical signaling involved in face perception.

— rita giordano, Philly.com, "Study: Overstimulation, not indifference, makes eye contact hard for people with autism," 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subcortical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.